1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fiber optics splice holders, and more particularly, to a fiber optic splice holder having improved versatility and density for retaining fiber optic splices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, there are three different types of optical splices that are most widely used. Different splice holders have been designed and implemented for the different types of splices. For example, mechanical splice holders have been used for mechanical splices, array (i.e., ribbon) splice holders are used for ribbon splices, and single fusion splice holders are used for single fusion splices. Each of these splice holders is different In shape and size in order to retain the different types of optical fiber splices. For example, optical fiber strands in a fiber ribbon cable are larger than single stranded optical fibers. Current single fusion splice holders cannot be used to obtain array splices, since the array splices are larger than the fusion splices, and therefore would not fit within the fusion splice holder. Conversely, fusion splices cannot be retained in an array splice holder, since ribbon cable splices have a larger diameter than the fusion splices.
As bandwidth requirements of an enterprise increase, the need to provide additional fiber optic cabling increases as well. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the organization of fiber optic routing in a fiber optical closure, which routes various fiber optic cabling to different connectors. Current splice holders do not avail themselves well to the increasing density of optical fibers, and further require a large footprint of real estate in such fiber optical closures to hold the aforementioned types of splices. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved optical splice holder.
These and other deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention of a fiber optic splice holder. In one embodiment, an optical fiber spice holder, including a base having an upper surface and a plurality of sidewalls coupled substantially orthogonal to the upper surface. Each pair of sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls forms at least one channel therebetween. The at least one channel has a first radius sized to secure an optical fiber splice, and a plurality of channels are formed adjacent to each other.
In a second embodiment, the optical fiber spice holder includes a base having an upper surface and a plurality of sidewalls coupled substantially orthogonal to the upper surface. A plurality of first pairs of sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls form a first channel and a second channel therebetween, where the first and second channels respectively have a first radius and a second radius sized to secure a first and second portion of a plurality of optical fiber splices. In a third embodiment, a plurality of third channels is respectively interleaved between each pair of the plurality of first pairs of sidewalls.